See What I Won in the Giveaway!!!!

Today I'm Featuring

Karen's " Todolwen old to new"  Blog.

Back in August I was notified that my name had been

drawn for her Annual "Christmas to Come Giveaway".

See Karen's post  here.

For those of you that don't know Karen, 

she is such a talented lady and creates the loveliest,

most wonderful things.

When the package arrived in the mail before Christmas

I placed it under my tree.

I must confess, I peeked just a little.

A lovely hand stamped paper with 
gorgeous seam binding ribbon

to which pretty glittered snowflakes 
and punched tag was attached

with Karen's personal message 
handwritten on the back.

Inside I found this exquisitely crafted poinsettia stocking.

I'd read about these on Karen's earlier blog posts,

and had seen the kits for sale in her Etsy shop.

Such a treasure to now own one made by Karen herself.

More beautiful flowing seam binding was attached as a

hanger loop,

large pearls decorated the center of

the hand-stitched petals

I'm so sorry my pictures don't do justice.

I've recently been fighting my camera 
and just this week it died completely.  

It seems I should have asked Santa for a new one.

Spilling out of the stocking came several 

small hand stamped tissue paper packages.

Inside these were 

a little linen tree on a snowflake hanger

Karen, did you crochet these tiny little flowers with the gold bead centers??

Next were painted metal stars and snowflakes

A length of sparkling tinsel 

tied with more seam binding, just magical.

All in all, such a lovely assortment of findings.

Additionally, Karen asked me 
to choose two tutorials from her 

Etsy shop and she emailed these to me 
as part of the Giveaway!!!  

I chose the Sheet Music Poinsettia

and the Wee Velveteen Rabbit, sweet little bunny!!

Thank you so much Karen for allowing me to participate 

in your Giveaway.  

And I think I speak for everyone 

who reads yourTodolwen blog when I say 

thank you for sharing your creations.  

You have such an eye for taking a 

beautiful old cast off 

and highlighting it in something new

to be admired.

May you be healthy and prosperous in this New Year.

To my readers,

be sure to visit and follow Karen's blog here...

Todolwen

and her Etsy Shop here...

Todolwen old to new

you will be soooo glad you did!!!!!!!!

Happy Healthy and Prosperous New Year to Everyone,

                       BettyJean

Sharing at these parties:

What's It Wednesday

Share Your Cup Thursday

Talk of the Town Link Party

Isn't She Beautiful?

My Sweet Mr. "picked her up"  ;) 

at an estate auction over the weekend.

click to enlarge

From what I could find on the internet,

which wasn't much,

she was manufactured in 1901 or 1902

 by the U. S. Glass Company

click to enlarge

The pattern name is 

"Manhattan"

Stunning details with

Gorgeous Ruby Flashing

and in perfect condition!

click to enlarge

Just in time for a Valentine Tea Party !

Image how she'll look holding a

 Red Velvet Cake.

I know just the recipe I'm going to make.

Red Velvet Cake with Velvet Frosting.

This recipe comes from Young Adventures Kitchen (click on the Recipe Index Tab at the top of their home page).

Hop on over for a visit, so many recipes there and they're all sooo tempting and scruptious looking.  Drool!

Watch for upcoming details about my "Love Story" Valentine Linky Party Marathon.

Joining the fun at these parties: Vintage Thingy Thursday

Vintage Inspiration Friday

Warm Hugs,

Liz's Tea Cozies, National Hot Tea Month, and a Recipe

Tea Cozy from Shortbread and Ginger, see more below

Welcome, so happy you could join me for todays Tea Party.
 

Did you know?...
 the month of January is National Hot Tea Month.

There are so many varieties of teas available.

It's hard to chose a single favorite.

For today's tea party I've brewed up a pot of
Russian Tea  for you all to try.

I received this little jar tucked inside a bag of goodies as a Christmas gift from a member of the medical group where I work.

Filled with the instant powdered tea mix with just the right blend of spice, Mmmm.
Not tea in the traditional sense, but I love it!
It has a flavor reminescent of Wassail.

Here's the recipe:

2 cups Tang orange drink mix

1 cup Lipton Instant Unsweetened Tea mix with Lemon

(or you could substitute with 1 cup instant tea , plus 1 envelope unsweetened Lemon Kool-aid)

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

To serve- Stir 1 - 2 Tablespoons into 1 cup warm water.

Enjoy!

Did you notice these sweet little Tea Cozies,

Aren't they the Cutest !!

Sure to keep your tea piping hot!

Tea Cozy at Shortbread and Ginger

These are the work of my friend Liz

over at Shortbread and Ginger

Just Click a photo, or her blog name above, to go there and see more from Liz.

She knits each one of these adorable tea cozies herself and offers them for sale by email...made custom--you chose the colors that will compliment your teapartyware!

I know Liz would welcome your visit, hop on over now and leave her a comment.

Warm Hugs,

Wednesday Wrap Party #5......

Today, I'm featuring 

  I Craft with Love 

click to read more of this gift wrap post.

The Wrap Party is open for linking up until midnight Friday for anyone who would like to share.

Please share your Wrap Party Post, not your Home Page

Link Back here

Grab a Button

Comments are encouraged

Warm Hugs and Happy Wrapping!

Christmas Cookies....a Family Tradition..........

Growing up, my mom had the best cut-out cookie recipe....

she and my sisters and I would make and decorate cookies for every holiday......

.....I've continued this tradition with my own children.

I treasure these photos of my two oldest taken 20 years ago!!! 

(My third and youngest was born 4 months later.)

I snapped these cookie pics last Christmas season..........

I usually send a tray to my husbands office.......

the neighbors next door and across the street.......

of course, Christmas with the family at Gramma's..........

My youngest daughter recently learned the flooding method of cookie decorating.....

These are her cookies.......

All packaged up for sale at the Church Bazaar last month.

These snowflake cookies were a gift from my daughter to the Grandparents last week.

I was too late in getting my camera, they'd already been wrapped.

After falling in love with some elf cookies she saw at Sweet Sugarbelle here ,

 following the tutorial, my daughter made these adorable cookies,

complete with a little rosy pearl dust blush on their cheeks.......

She baked these on a stick and arranged in a cookie bouquet..........

These Rice Krispie Treat Christmas Tree Pops (on a stick) went to the Church Bazaar.......

Although they're not "cookies" I just had to share these  Reindeer Pops made from chocolate covered marshmallows with pretzel antlers.

Super Cute!.......

I saw them last year at Betty Crocker Wannabe

 (see the tutorial here)

and knew they'd be a big hit at our Bazaar as well.

There is always a mad dash to the cookie walk and the candy room, most all of our donations were sold out in the first 20 minutes.

Wishing you happy kitchen memories with lots of lovin' from the oven this holiday season and throughout the new year,

Warm Hugs,

Sharing at..... Sew Many Ways 

 

 

P.S.   I just found directions for a similar reindeer pop and can't wait to make them.....

 

Setting the chocolate dipped marshmallow on top of 

whole pretzels until the chocolate sets would be

sooo much easier than trying to break the pretzels

evenly and then trying to insert into the marshmallow.

See more here:

 

http://makenmold.com/Create/Projects/Christmas.aspx